High regard for human rights

High regard for human rights | Daily Tribune

On 8 May 2024, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued Administrative Order (AO) No. 22 creating the Special Committee on Human Rights Coordination which Malacañang described as a “super body” to sustain initiatives and accomplishments of the United Nations for the Joint Program (UNJP) on Human Rights in the areas of law enforcement, criminal justice, and policy-making.

Under the AO, the Special Committee of Human Rights Coordination is under the Presidential Human Rights Commission (PHRC). It will be led by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin as chairperson and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla as co-chairperson. The members are Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos.

The PHRC Secretariat will serve as the Special Committee’s secretariat and will provide the necessary technical, administrative, and operational support to the committee. Other members and/or observers from other relevant agencies may be included, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations.

AO 22 also calls for the support and cooperation of all national government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned or -controlled corporations, local government units, and the private sector.

The effectivity of the AO is immediate upon its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Within 30 days thereof, the Special Committee shall issue the necessary guidelines for the effective implementation of the provisions of the AO which includes the mechanisms for coordination and/or consultation with the public, non-government organizations, and civil society groups.

Based on the foregoing, it is evident that the President gives importance and high regard to the protection of human rights. I am aligned and supportive of the action to protect every Filipino’s basic human rights under the Constitution. While there are other programs and aspects, such as the economy, inflation, and poverty, that are as important and must be addressed, the President knows the protection of human rights is among the most crucial.

Even the Senate is on the same page. The 2024 budget of the Commission on Human Rights has been increased by the Senate to enhance the CHR’s capacity-building initiatives.

In relation to an increased budget, the Special Committee, through its member agencies, is authorized to accept donations, contributions, grants, bequests or gifts from both domestic and foreign sources. This signifies the collective efforts, not just of the Philippines, but all countries in the protection of human rights.

The AO not only empowers the government and protects all Filipinos, it ensures the accountability of those who violate human rights and those who wish to violate human rights.

However, like any enacted law, its enforcement is just the first step among many to ensure that its objectives are met. I call on the member agencies of the Special Committee, fellow government agencies, the private sector, various stakeholders in the public domain, non-government organizations, and civil society groups to discuss the various issues and suggest ways to ensure the proper implementation of this AO. The implementation of its Implementing Rules and Regulations is key to attaining the objectives of the AO.

Similarly, I call on all Filipinos to be aware of their basic human rights and be vigilant of its vulnerability to abuse. This way, we can ensure that rights are upheld in our daily lives and in our immediate communities. Abuses don’t just happen in the reports published in the news, those which are not reported still remain rampant and continue to exist.

The successful implementation of this AO starts with the government, but continues with all Filipinos.